Don't waste your time with seeds, unless the seed is super fresh from the fruit pods, they rarely germinate. I have plenty of seedlings to trade. They bloom in about 18 to 24 months in south florida. They get to about 40 feet. There is an expensive dwarf form available, but it does not smell as good and the flowers are smaller.
Paul

I agree with Paul, only short time to flower from seed. If you can get fresh seed, they will germinate very quickly. They seem to like a lot of warmth to germinate. I germonated about 400 seed in the middle of our tropical summer. Very hot outside but the first seeds to germinate were the ones on the side of the pots which got the most sun. My experience has been that they will flower quickly from seed but will take three to four years to produce viable seed. Mine have all just been through a cat. 5 cyclone which knocked the tops of most of them but has induced them to set heaps of seed.
I also grow th dwarf form (var. fruticosa) which has flowers about the same size but much less fragrance. Still worth growing though.
The trees get very tall very quickly so pinch out or cut the tops off them to keep them shorter and bushy. Otherwise those fantastically fragrant flowers will be 40 feet up and only your neighbours downwind will apppreciate your hard work!
Regards and good luck,
Brendon

Heavinsent,

Where in Louisiana are you? I'm in Lake Charles. Cananga Odorata is not hardy in the ground here in Louisiana. Maybe if you live in extreme south Plaquemines parish. You will have to container grow it. I have the Cananga Odorata var. fruitcosa and it has so far been a disappointment. There is a scent but it was not what I expected. I have fought with myself about the cananga over the years but decided that with all of the other container tropicals I am growing, I didn't have the proper place to over winter it so I have settled on other fragrant plants such as Jasmine Sambac, Maid of Orleans, or Cestrum Nocturnum.

Steve

I live in Grand Lake which is in Cameron Parish about 20miles from the coast as the crow flys. We rarely get temps below 35 in winter.Much more freeze warnings above I-10.
Steve, I used to live in Lake Charles only about 25 min away. Most of the sites I have read says it will take temps in the mid 30s is this just wishful thinking, or just companys that want to sell plants?
Also would you be the same Steve that runs Ecolage?

Very familiar with Grand Lake. I think a mature tree can take the mid 30's for a few hours but not more than that. Didn't realize that there was that much difference between Lake Charles and Grand Lake. My low at my house in central LC was 24 last December. Not the same Steve but know him and have bought much from his nursery.

Do you have many tropicals Steve? Nothing listed on you page. If so what do you find does the best in LC? I have always had a garden of some kind but this is the first year I trying some tropicals and fragrant plants.

Lots and lots of tropicals; right now, 25 different heliconia, 40 different ginger, 15 plumeria trees, orchids, whew, my back hurts just listing them.

Steve

Do you have Hedychium Coronarium? If so where did you find it. I have been looking for it now and then when I walk the nuserys. They know what I'm asking for but they don't seem to carry it.

Lots of Hedychium coronarium. Try Greengate. I can spare some also

Thanks, I may have to take you up on that maybe after Katrina passes.

Hi steve are you still here with us? I see others have been looking for you but no answer yet. I hope you got thru the storm ok as well as all your plants. most of mine are gone but the good ones I pulled out of the ground and put up in my attic. they are back in the ground now I only lossed my largest sweet olive. I got my Cananga in today. It is beautiful ;) Gardino's nusery is awsome! The tree is at least 3ft and not a leaf was missing. I have never recieved anything packed so well.
Drop us all a line so we know you are ok!
Caren

Caren,

I'm doing fine. My plants all survived. Lost one or two trees and have roof damage like everyone else in this area. Everything is gone at my place in Grand Chenier.

Did you buy the dwarf Cananga from Gardino's?

Steve

Gardino's took a bad hit from hurricane Wilma from what Andrea said today. We alllost in these hurricanes..Rita hit here @#%^&*((*&^%

Glad to hear from you Steve! Sorry to hear about you place in Grand Chenier. I know several people there that have loss everything. So sad, only roof damage here and almost all the bedding plants gone mostly annuals anyway. I did get the Cananga from Gardino's and it is beautiful after a long talk with Andrea I went ahead and got the tree. Ill most likely get the dwarf as well but I wanted to try the tree first. I have it on wheels and just move it in for colder weather. It should work till it gets over 11Ft by then I hope I will have worked on DH long enough to get a greenhouse.
~Caren

Hi,
Does anyone know which ebay store sells fresh seeds? As it's been said fresh seeds are very important and I don't like wasting money, especially my money ;) . Thanks.